Storage and display device



1967 R. A. SOMERS ETAL 3,3 6

STORAGE AND DISPLAY DEVICE Filed July 1, 1966 f5 'INVENTORS.

Arron/E v United States Patent 3,360,116 STORAGE AND DISPLAY DEVICE Raymond A. Somers, Fairfield, and Robert J. Tolmie,

Bridgeport, Conn, assignors to Sperry Rand Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 1, 1966, Ser. No. 562,396 3 Claims. (Cl. 206-45.2)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure is directed to a storage and display device comprising container and cover portions wherein the container portion is interconnected to the cover portion by integral hinge means and wherein stop means are provided on said portions adapted to locate the container portion in a preselected inclined position relative to the cover when the cover is in open position and in which position the rear wall of the cover serves as a base for supporting the container.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in storage and display devices and more particularly to storage and display devices for portable appliances.

Storage and display devices for portable appliances, such as carrying cases for electric dry shavers, are wellknown. In the latter type carrying cases, it is the usual practice to provide an area for storing the appliance and also to provide an additional area for storing the power cord and other incidental items such as cleaning brushes or the like. Further, these cases must be suitable not only for storing the latter items after purchase by a user, but must also provide an attractive and compact structure for displaying the appliance prior to purchase. In the latter circumstances it has been found that when the article holding portion of the carrying case is displaced to an inclined or raised position when the cover of the case is opened the appliance is more conveniently and better displayed by a seller.

Various means have been used in the past for accomplishing these ends. Known devices, however, present various problems, in that they require relatively complex hinge structures and other extraneous structure which not only increases the cost of the carrying case but also results in complicated assembly and manufacturing procedures.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel storage and display device for a portable appliance.

Another object is to provide a novel storage and display case having novel hinge means wherein the parts of the hinge means are not exposed to the outer surface of the case.

Another object is to provide a novel hinge mechanism wherein in the open position of the storage and display device the rear wall of the cover functions as a stand for the container portion of the device which is raised by the hinge mechanism to an inclined position relative thereto.

A still further object is to provide a novel storage and display device wherein maximum utilization of the storage area of the article storage portion thereof is achieved and which device is provided with integral hinge means comprised of a mini-mum number of parts.

The present invention contemplates a novel storage and display device for a portable appliance. In one embodiment thereof the device comprises a container receptacle portion for storing the appliance and a cover member for closing the container. The cover member is provided with a rear wall and spaced sidewalls which overhang respectively the rear wall and portions of the sidewalls of the container portion. Integral hinge means comprising trunnion means and bearing seats formed on adjacent portions of the container and cover sidewalls are provided 3,360,] 16 Patented Dec. 26, 1967 whereby the cover is pivotable between open and closed positions relative to the container portion. In the open position the rear wall of the cover is disposed beneath the base of the container and serves as a stand for the device. In movement to open position the hinge means is operable to effect pivotal movement of the container portion to an inclined position relative to the vertical cover whereat an appliance disposed within the container portion is positioned for optimum display purposes. In addition the container portion is provided with an auxiliary storage compartment having a hinged lid and in which compartment various incidentals of the appliance may be stored for ready accessibility.

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description which follows taken together with the accompanying drawing wherein one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a storage and display device embodying the present invention and shows the cover thereof in open position;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side elevational view of the device of FIG. 1 with the cover in closed position;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 and shows the cover in open position;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 1 and shows the cover of an auxiliary storage compartment in partially open position.

Referring now to the drawing for a more detailed description of the present invention an article storage and display device which incorporates one embodiment of the present invention is generally indicated by the reference number 10 in FIG. 1. Device 10 comprises a casing which is preferably made of premolded plastic material and includes a container or receptacle portion 11 and a cover member 12.

Storage and display unit 10 is of the type adapted to store therein a suitable portable electrical appliance such as an electric dry shaver. To this end container portion 11 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 4) is provided with a flat base portion 14, spaced vertical sidewalls 15, a front wall 16 and a rear wall 17. Bounded between front wall 16, sidewalls 15 and a transverse intermediate wall 19 is provided a storage area 20 wherein is stored the appliance (not shown). In use a suitable insert member (shown in dot and dash lines in FIG. 1) having a central recess portion conforming in configuration to the appliance to be stored may be inserted in storage area 20 for receiving and positioning the appliance against movement in a usual manner.

An additional storage area comprising a compartment 21 for storing incidentals necessary to the operation of the appliance such as a power cord (not shown) is ar ranged at the rear of container 11. A lid 22 for compartment 21 is hinged to sidewalls 15 of container 11 by means of pintles 25 (FIG. 4) formed at the spaced opposite lower corner portions of flanges 27 or lid 22 (FIG. 4) and which pintles 25 are disposed in apertures 26 of container sidewalls 15. In addition, projections 28 (one shown in FIG. 1) are provided on the forward portion of flanges 27 and which projections 28 are adapted to engage in apertures 29 in sidewalls 15 to lock lid 22 in closed position (FIGS. 2 and 3). Lid 22 is readily releasable from locked position (FIGS. 2 and 3) to open position (FIG. 5) by slight manual pressure applied to front wall 30 thereof and then pivoting lid 22 in the direction designated by the arrow A in FIG. 5 about pintles 25.

As mentioned it is a feature of the present invention to provide novel hinge means for interconnecting cover 12 to a container 11. To this end cover 12 is provided with a rear wall 32 and spaced sidewalls 33 which overhang rear wall 17 and portions of the sidewalls 15 of container 11 respectively in the closed position of cover member 12. Hinge means 35 (FIG. 4) include boss means comprising trunnions 36 formed on spaced sidewalls 33 of cover 12 disposed in bearing seats 37 formed in projections on spaced sidewalls 15 of container 11. Cover 12 is readily mounted or released from container 11 by slight manual outward pressure applied to either sidewall 33 (as shown in broken lines FIG. 4 with respect to sidewall 33 at the left) of cover 12 to release a trunnion 36 from a bearing seat 37.

In addition latch means are provided for maintaining cover 12 in the closed position and include a movable latch member 40 having the lower end thereof secured to the rear of front wall 16 of container 11 and having a latch portion on the upper end disposed in a recess 41 in the front wall of cover 12. A tab 42 is provided on latch 40 which extends through an appropriate opening in front wall 16 and provide means for manually releasing latch 4-0 from cover 12 when pressed inwardly.

In accordance with the described arrangement if a user elects to open storage unit and move cover 12 from the closed position (FIG. 2) to the open position (FIG. 3), firstly the user depresses tab 42 to release latch 40 and then moves cover 12 in the direction indicated by the arrow B in FIG. 2. As cover 12 is lifted, trunnions 36 swivel in bearing seats 37 thereby raising cover 12 and pivoting rear wall 32 thereof beneath base portion 14 of container 11. When cover 12 reaches a vertical position (FIG. 3) flanges 38 provided on spaced sidewalls 33 of cover 12 engage lugs 39 on spaced container sidewalls 15 (as shown with respect to sidewall 15 on the right in FIG. 1) to prevent further movement of cover 12. In this position rear wall 32 is adapted to support container 11 on a suitable horizontal surface such as a table or a display shelf in an inclined position.

As will be appreciated in the open position of cover 12 lid 22 of auxiliary compartment 21 is readily pivotable to an open position whereat the contents of compartment 22 are readily available.

When cover 12 is pivoted in the direction designated by the arrow C in FIG. 3 to close cover 12 trunnions 36 pivot in bearing seats 38 to move cover 12 downward and lower container 11 to the closed position.

It will be readily apparent from the foregoing description that the novel storage and display device has many advantages in use. One advantage among others is that all parts of the hinge structure are hidden from view and are integrally formed on the cover and container thereby eliminate extraneous parts. This structure not only lessens the overall cost of the item but also provides for a compact appearance for display purposes. The casing is readily molded and comprises a minimum number of parts which results in rapid assembly and disassembly procedures resulting in reduction in manufacturing costs both in labor and parts.

It is to be expressly understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment illustrated and described. Various changes can be made in the design and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as the same will now be understood by those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A storage and display device comprising, a container portion having a base, a rear wall, a front wall and spaced vertical sidewalls defining therebetween an article storage area; a cover member for said container; said cover member including a depending rear wall and spaced depending sidewall portions arranged to overhang said container portion in the closed position of said cover ember on said container portion; hinge means integrally formed on adjacent portions of said cover sidewall portions and said container sidewalls to interconnect said cover to said container; said hinge means comprising bearing means and trunnion means with said trunnion means adapted to swivel within said bearing means to permit movement of said cover between closed and open positions with respect to said container portion; said cover member being pivotal on said hinge means in movement to open position to raise said container to a selected position inclined to said cover member and to displace said cover rear wall beneath said base of said container; and stop means provided on adjacent portions of said cover idewalls and container sidewalls for limiting movement of said cover and container beyond said selected inclined position; said stop means comprising projections formed on the container sidewalls and flanges formed on said cover sidewalls adjacent said hinge means, said flange portions being pivotal about said hinge means during movement of said cover to open position to engage said projections in said open position of said cover.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said article storage area defined by said container sidewalls includes first and second storage compartments, a vertical wall extending transversely of said container portion and connected to the spaced sidewalls thereof separating said first compartment from said second compartment, said first compartment arranged within a forward portion of said container, and said second compartment arranged at the rear portion thereof, a lid member for said second compartment seated on said container portion, second hinge means provided on adjacent portions of said container sidewalls and said lid member for supporting said lid for movement between open and closed positions relative to said second compartment when said cover member is in said open position.

3. The storage and display device of claim 1 wherein said bearing means comprise bearing seats formed on said container sidewalls and wherein said trunnion means comprise bosses formed on said cover sidewall portions each disposed within a said bearing seat, said cover sidewall portions being formed of flexible material and manually displaceable away from the sidewalls of said container to provide for ready release of said bosses from said bearing seats.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,170,281 8/1939 Snow.

2,342,894 2/1944 Quartin 206-45.23 2,552,170 5/1951 Gusmorino 20645.13 X 2,860,767 11/1958 Shitfman 206-4513 3,127,987 4/1964 Young 206-452 3,127,988 4/1964 Young 20645.2

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

THERON E. CONDON, Examiner.

I. M. CASKIE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A STORAGE AND DISPLAY DEVICE COMPRISING, A CONTAINER PORTION HAVING A BASE, A REAR WALL, A FRONT WALL AND SPACED VERTICAL SIDEWALLS DEFINING THEREBETWEEN AN ARTICLE STORAGE AREA; A COVER MEMBER FOR SAID CONTAINER; SAID COVER MEMBER INCLUDING A DEPENDING REAR WALL AND SPACED DEPENDING SIDEWALL PORTIONS ARRANGED TO OVERHANG SAID CONTAINER PORTION IN THE CLOSED POSITION OF SAID COVER MEMBER ON SAID CONTAINER PORTION; HINGE MEANS INTEGRALLY FORMED ON ADJACENT PORTIONS OF SAID COVER SIDEWALL PORTIONS AND SAID CONTAINER SIDEWALLS TO INTERCONNECT SAID COVER TO SAID CONTAINER; SAID HINGE MEANS COMPRISING BEARING MEANS AND TRUNNION MEANS WITH SAID TRUNNION MEANS ADAPTED TO SWIVEL WITHIN SAID BEARING MEANS TO PERMIT MOVEMENT OF SAID COVER BETWEEN CLOSED AND OPEN POSITIONS WITH RESPECT TO SAID CONTAINER PORTION; SAID COVER MEMBER BEING PIVOTAL ON SAID HINGE MEANS IN MOVEMENT TO OPEN POSITION TO RAISE SAID CONTAINER TO A SELECTED POSITION INCLINED TO SAID COVER MEMBER AND TO DISPLACE SAID COVER REAR WALL BENEATH SAID BASE OF SAID CONTAINER; AND STOP MEANS PROVIDED ON ADJACENT PORTIONS OF SAID COVER SIDEWALLS AND CONTAINER SIDEWALLS FOR LIMITING MOVEMENT OF SAID COVER AND CONTAINER BEYOND SAID SELECTED INCLINED POSITION; SAID STOP MEANS COMPRISING PROJECTIONS FORMED ON THE CONTAINER SIDEWALLS AND FLANGES FORMED ON SAID COVER SIDEWALLS ADJACENT SAID HINGE MEANS, SAID FLANGE PORTIONS BEING PIVOTAL ABOUT SAID HINGE MEANS DURING PROJECTIONS IN SAID OPEN POSITION OF SAID COVER. 